Three Girls, the BBC’s harrowing docudrama about child abuse in Rochdale which begins tonight (Tues), is a shocking reminder of the terrible ordeal endured by children at the hands of paedophiles.
The police handle the criminal actions that put these monsters behind bars, but the civil action taken by victims to gain some form of financial compensation for their suffering is undertaken by specialist abuse lawyers.
Their role is a crucial and painstaking task, often taking many months to recover compensation for victims which, although it can never take away the memory of abuse, can help them begin to live their lives again with some financial security.
The Examiner spoke to Molly Frost, an abuse specialist lawyer at Jordans Solicitors in Dewsbury.
She has worked on a wide variety of abuse claims, including some current cases against Rochdale council.
Molly explained what it is like to work on abuse cases and the qualities needed as a lawyer to successfully act for people who have suffered at the hands of these criminals.
"Three Girls, the BBC’s harrowing docudrama about child abuse in Rochdale was a poignant reminder of the terrible ordeal endured by many children at the hands of paedophiles.
“Obviously professional knowledge of the law is a prerequisite in my job, but the key quality for me is to have empathy for your client and to understand what they have gone through and indeed are still suffering the consequences of.
“Our job is to extract key information from the client, advise them and pursue any claim expeditiously and effectively. We are not counsellors, but it is essential to be sympathetic, patient and to be able to listen. I often find that some people have difficulty speaking directly about the abuse for the first time whether that be face to face or over the telephone. One solution to this is to suggest that they write it down instead.”
Molly said Jordans have an experienced team of solicitors and support staff who do nothing but abuse work. They have male and female staff of varying ages all of whom are used to dealing with the subject matter of abuse claims in a caring and sensitive way.
“Another key aspect of dealing with these cases is to establish the client’s expectations from the outset. It is important that the client has a clear understanding of what can be achieved and the level of compensation that they can expect to receive. They want to be kept informed and be reassured that their case is being handled sensitively and with discretion. Many of these individuals will have suffered sexual or physical abuse by people who were in a position or trust or authority. It is very important that clients have trust in the work we do and feel confident that we are acting in their best interests.
“The civil process can seem daunting, so it’s vital to make the client fully aware of what is involved and to encourage them to seek external support from family or other professionals throughout the course of their claim, should they need it. If they don’t have family support or know what professionals there are there to help, we can advise clients and point them in the right direction in order that they get the help they need.”
During her many years of dealing with abuse claims Molly has dealt with some horrific cases which understandably can be upsetting, but Molly explains how the work she does to help clients achieve some sort of justice makes it all worthwhile.
“Whilst the recovering of compensation is the main focus and purpose of the civil action, it can also provide so much more for clients. The process itself can be therapeutic, it can help provide closure and give the client a voice. Occasionally we may be able to secure other outcomes such as apologies, money specifically for treatment or counselling, or the retrieval of personal documents or information for example.”
Molly recalls one specific case she dealt with involving a lady who had moved here from a remote Island with her husband and had suffered a sexual assault by a treating medical professional.
Molly added: “Due to her disposition and her culture it had an extremely devastating effect on her mental health. We were able to arrange private therapy for this lady which she underwent during the course of her civil claim. The treatment worked. When she first contacted me, she was having marriage difficulties, was unable to seek further medical treatment and was suffering from all sorts of problems connected with her anxiety. After the treatment was complete and the case was successfully completed, it was wonderful to hear that she was happy, her relationship was back on track and she was expecting a baby. That makes my job, difficult as it is at times all worthwhile.”
Episode one of Three Girls starts on Tuesday May 16 on BBC 1 at 9pm.
